Visual indicating device



Pinad Ap.` 9, 194s VISUAL INDICATING DEVICE Ward Leathers, Brooklyn, N.Y., asslgnor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York,N. Y., a corporation oi' New York Application February 21, 1945, SerialNo. 579,099

Claims.

The present invention relates to an indicating apparatus and, moreparticularly, to a visual indicator or monitor adapted for use inconnection with commercial shop machines for rendering a visualindication of any idle time that may be encountered throughout the dailyoperation of the machine. According to the present invention, it iscontemplated that a battery of such indicators shall be installed at aconvenient place in the supervisors oiiice, each apparatus beingelectrically connected to .a respective machine in the shop whoseperiods ci' idle time it is intended to indicate. Thus, the supervisormay, at any desired time, by examining the various units determine whichmachine or machines is or are encountering a period of idle time.According to 4the present invention, and purely for illustrativepurposes, the apparatus has been shown with a capacity for,indicatingsuccessively each minute of idle time vencountered by its respectiveshop machine, the limit of such idle time being attained at the end of atwenty-minute period. It is to be distinctly understood, however, thatthe indicating apparatus may, by suitable modification, be designed fora longer or shorter period of idle time, it .being considered that anindication of twenty minutes in idle time will ordinarily be sumcientfor the reason that if the operator of the machine has not remedied thecause for his idle time within this period the personal attention of thesupervisor may be necessary.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide avisual indicator of the type set forth above having a plainly visibledial or circular ring-like indicating area which, when the particularmachine with which the apparatus is associated remains in production,appears in the form of a plain white or other colored continuous anduninterrupted ring and which, when the particular machine encounters aperiod of idle time, presents progressive increments or sectors on thering-like area of a contrasting color, as for example, red increments orsectors. In keeping with the above mentioned object, provision isfurther made whereby, as each consecutive minute of idle timeterminates, the extent of the sector appearing in the ring-like area isincreased a predetermined degree. The advancing of the variablecontrasting sector is accomplished in step-by-step fashion so that atany particular instant of time during the idleness of the machine aproportionate sector graph is presented having two contrasting sectors,one of which represents idle time as expressed in minutes, and the otherof which represents the number of minutes remaining before the machineencounters a certain limit of idle time, which limit in the presentinstance has been chosen as a period of twenty minutes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus oi.'this character which, when the Vperiod of idle time encountered by themachine terminates within the twenty-minute limit, will automatically bereset and ready to commence its indication again when any future periodof idle time is encountered.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an indicator ofthis type which, when the full twenty-minute limit of idle time has beenexceeded will remain at its full twenty-minute indication until suchtime as the machine is again l set into operation.

Yet another object of the invention is to proerable and which employsfor its operation only two relatively small electro-magnets, one magnetbeing employed to perform the minute stepping operation and the othermagnet bein-g employed for effecting resetting operations.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide anindicating device which, in addition to indicating the individualperiods of idle time of a, machine as they are encountered, will alsogive a visual indication of the total minutes of idle time encounteredby the machine over a predetermined period, as for example, an eighthourshift.'

The provision of an apparatus of this character which is rugged anddurable and which is comprised of 9, minimum number of moving parts andwhich, consequently, is unlikely to get out `of order; one which iscompact in its design and l which, therefore, occupies a minimum space;one which may be manufactured from relatively light steel stampings andat a relatively 4small cost, and one which is otherwise well adapted toperform the services required of it are further desiderata that havebeen borne in mind in the production and development of the presentinvention.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the followingdescription and claims and illustrated in the accompanying single sheetof drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of theinvention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applyingthat principle.

In the the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, front view of a battery of indicatorsconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken vertically and vsubstantially centrallythrough the apparatus on a plane parallel to the plane ofthe dialsurface.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 ofFig. 2 in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In all of the above described views like characters of reference areemployed to designate like parts throughout.

Referringnow to the drawing in detail, a battery of the indicatingdevices is shown in Fig. 1, each individual indicating device beingdesignated in its entirety at I0. The various devices are arranged incontiguous relationship, as shown, and each is provided with a cardholder I2 suitably arranged at the front thereof, in which holdersindividual indicia cards I4 may be inserted, the indicia on the cards I4each corresponding to the number o1' a particular shop machine withwhich the device is associated. Obviously, any number of such machinesmay be accommodated. It will be understood that the indicating devicemay be electrically attached to any type of machine or tool which isinstalled at a remote location and, where a battery of machines of aparticular type are operating as a department, all of the devices may bemounted on a single board in the supervisors oillce so that the lattermay have at his disposal a visual indication of which machine ormachines is or are encountering a period of idle time.

Each indicating device involves in its general organization arectilinear and generally U- shaped sheet metal stamping l 8 including afront wall I8 and side pieces 20 and 22. A strut or strap 24 extendsacross the side pieces 20 and 22 at the rear thereof, thus providing arigid, open, box-like structure Within the confines f which are disposedthe operative instrumentalities of the apparatus. A substantiallyrectangular dial plate 26 is mounted on the front wall I8, issubstantially co-extensive therewith and is provided with a planeindicating surface 28 and is formed with a circular cut-away portion 3i)which communicates with a relatively narrow vertical slot 32 whichextends from the peripheral edge of the cut-away portion 30 to a pointadjacent but within the periphery of the surface 2B. The dial plate 26is adapted to be held in position on the front wall I3 by spacer plates34 and anchoring screws 35, there being four of such spacer plates andanchoring screws, one adjacent each corner of the plate 2S. The surface'28 of 'the dial plate 26 has printed or otherwise marked thereon acircular dial 38 comprising an outer narrow ring or band 40 which isdivided into alternate black and White segments 42 and 43 respectively,each representing one minute of idle time encountered by the machine towhich the apparatus is attached. The-area existing between the inner rimof the ring 4D and the peripheral edge of the circular cut-away portion30 serves to define a ringlke band or area, which is preferably white incolor, and around which an indicating disc 44 of a contrasting color, asfor example, the color red, is adapted to progressively project itselfin stepby-step serpentine fashion in a manner that will be presentlydescribed.

The indicating disc 44 is in the form of a circular member having formedtherein a radial slit 46 which extends inwardly from the periphery ofthe disc to a point adjacent the medial region thereof. The disc 44 isnormally disposed immediately behind the indicating surface 28 of thedial plate 28 and has a leading edge 48 ot the slit 48 overlapping oneedge of the slot 32 provided in the dial plate. The indicating disc 44is centrally mounted on a circular flange or backing plate 58 providedon a collar 52 which is pinned as at 54 to a shaft 58. It will be seenthat upon step-by-step rotation of the shaft 56 and collar 52 mountedthereon in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, asegment-like portion of the indicating disc 44 will travel around thepath defined for it by the ringlike band or area on the surface 28. Theoptical effect ,of such stepping of the indicating disc 44 will be topresent to the eye a segment of a color which contrasts with the Whitearea of the surface 28 and which gradually increases in size until suchtime as the entire surface of the ring-like area has been obscured. Aspreviously explained, each stepping operation serves to increase theextentof the thus presented segment by a predetermined amount which, inthe present instance, since it requires twenty steps to complete theprocess, is 18. The band 48, which is divided into alternate segments-ofa contrasting color, in the present instance black and white, serves asa reference band in order that each increment of the progressivelyincreasing segment may be readily perceptible.

The shaft 58 projects rearwardly a slight distance through the frontwall I8 and has mounted thereon a sleeve 58 which is pinned as at 80 toth'e shaft. A ratchet wheel 52, which is integrally formed on the sleeve58, is provided with a series of teeth 84 on its periphery, of whichthere are twenty in number, the distance between each toothcorresponding to an interval of one minute. A coil spring 68 surroundsthe sleeve 58, has one end thereof anchored thereto, and the other endthereof is anchored as at 68 to the front wall i8. A stop pin'l carriedby th'e ratchet wheel 62 is designed for engagement with a stop plate'l2 formed on the front wall I8. The stop plate 'l2 and pin 10 aremounted on their respective supporting elements' in such a manner thatwhen the pin is in engagement with the plate no idle time will beindicated on the dial or, irl-other words, no portion of the indicatingdisc 44 will be visible beyond the connues of the slot 32. After idletime has commenced and the ratchet wheel t2 becomes progressivelystepped, the stop pin liti moves away trom the stop plate 'l2 and ii theperiod of idleness continues indefinitely, eventually the stop pin itwill again come into contact with the stop plate l2 on the opposite sidethereof, thus preventing any further rotation of the ratchet wheel G2.

Stepping operations are pencormecl upon the ratchet Wheel t2 by means ofa pawl 'I4 which operates under the control of an electromagnet M. Theelectromagnct M is provided with a substantially U-sh'aped ironlaminated core 18 having a center leg 11, an outside leg 'IB and a crosspiece '19, and which is secured in any suitable manner to the crossstrap 24. The electromagnet M is provided with an armature which ispivotally mounted on a short shaft 82 suspended across the lower end ofa pair of straps 84 which are mounted as at 86 on the lower end of theoutside leg 18 of the magnet core 16. The pawl I4 is likewise pivotallymounted on the shaft 82 but is loosely disposed on the latter in such amanner that the same may move toward and away from the armature 8D toaccommodate the circular periphery of the ratchet wheel 82. 'I'he pawl'I4 is provided with ashort rearward extension 66 to which there issecured one end of a coil spring 60, the other end of this springbeing-secured to a stud 62 which passes through a bracket 64 carried bythe cross piece 16 oi.' th'e magnet core 16. The tendency of the coilspring 60, therefore, is to cause the pawl 14 to be swungdownwardly-about the axis of the shaft 62. The forward end of the pawl14 projects through a slot .66 formed in the front wal1 I6 and thelowermost position of the pawl is thus limited by the lower edge'of thislatter slot. The armaturel 60 is provided with a laterally projectingpin 60 which passes through an opening formed in the pawl 14 mediallythereof. The diameter of the aperture |00 is slightly in excess of thediameter of the pin 66, and thus this latter pin serves as a guidemember for guiding the lateral movements of the pawl 14 relative to thearmature 80 and also serves as an actuating member for causing the pawl14 to follow the vertical swinging components oi' move- 'ment of thearmature 60. An additional coil spring |02 is connected at one endthereof to the free end of the pawl 14 and the other end of the springis connected to a stud |04 'mounted on the..A

front wall I6 at a point below and considerably forwardly of the pawl inorder to normally bias the pawl in such a direction that it will becaused to move away from th'e armature 60 and underlie one of the teethprovided on the periphery of the ratchet wheel 62.

From the above description of parts it will be seen that uponenergization of the magnet M the armature 80 will be attracted towardthe center leg 11 of the core 16, thus causing the armature to swingupwardly about the pivotal axis of the short shaft 82. During suchupward swinging movement of the armature 60, the pawl 14 will, by virtueof its pin and aperture connection 66, |00, with the armature belikewise swung upwardly about the axis of the shaft 82. In so movingupwardly, the free or outer end of the pawl 14 will carry with it theparticular toothon the periphery of the ratchet wheel 62 which itunderlies, and in so moving the pawl will be caused to move laterallytoward the armature 60.` Immediately upon deenergization of th'e magnetM,the armature 80 and pawl 14, acting under the influence of the springs60 and |02. will be moved downwardly and restored to their initialnormal position. To prevent return movement of the ratchet wheel 62during such downward movement of the armature 60 and pawl 14, a. holdingpawl 06 is pivotally mounted on a stud |08 on the front wall I6 and isspring-biased by means of a tension spring I0 in such a manner that itsoperative end will at all times engage the periphery of the ratchetwheel 62.

It will be appreciated that because of the fact that there are twentyteeth 64 on the periphery of the ratchet wheel 62, each indexingoperation of this latter wheel will cause the leading edge of theindicating disc 44 to progress in lthe path provided for it throughoutan angle of 18". Inasw much as impulses are received at regularintervals of one minute during the time that the machine under thecontrol of the recording apparatus remains idle, stepping operations maybe successively continued until such a time as the indicating disc 44has made one complete revolution and is visible substantially in itsentirety in front of the dial plate i6. Means are provided whereby atthe termination of a period of idle time, the indicating disc 44 may berestored to its initial and concealed position behind the vdial plate26.

Toward this end, a reset magnet Mi is suitably secured to the side piece26 and is provided with an amature ||2 which is pivoted as at ||4 to amagnet housing I0 and which is spring-pressed as at ||6 in such a manneras to hold the armature in a retracted position. The front end'of thearmature ||2 projects upwardly to a point immediately behind anextension |20 carried by the pawl |06, the arrangement being such thatupon energization oi.' the magnet MI and consequent attraction oi thearmature ||2, the upper end of the latter will' engage the extension |20to cause the holding pawl |06 to be moved out of the path of movement oftheteeth 64 provided on the periphery of the ratchet wheel 62, theratchet wheel 62 being normally biased by the coll spring 66 to itsinitial position wherein the indicating disc 44 remains concealed. Suchremoval of the pawl |06 from the path of movement of the teeth- 64 onthe ratchet wheel 62 will automatically cause resetting operations totake place.

A total indicator |30 is suitably mounted in an aperture |62 provided inthe front wall |6 and its counter indication is visible through a window|34 formed in the dial plate 26. This indicator |30 is of conventionaldesign and is provided with an operating lever |36 which is pivotallyconnected at its free end to one end of a link |06, the other end of thelink being pivotally connected to the pawl 14 medially of its ends. Thetotal indicator |60 is so designed that upon each' repetition of itsoperating lever |36 its in-` and details of the apparatus illustratedand in its i operation may be made by those skilled in the art, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. Itis the intention,therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an indicator for progressively indicating predetermined incrementsof time, a dial plate having a circular dial face thereon, there being aradial slot formed in said plate and extending from the medial regionsof the dial face to the peripheral regions thereof, a circularindicating disc positioned behind said dial plate and having a radialslit formed therein extending from the medial regions of the disc to theperiphery thereof, a leading edge of said slit normally overlapping oneedge of the.slot, and means for progressively rotating said plate anddisc relative to each other.

2. In an indicator for progressively indicating predetermined incrementsof time. a stationary dial plate having a circular dial face thereon,there being a radial slot formedln said plate and extending from themedial regions of the dial face to the peripheral regions thereof, acircular indicating disc positioned behind said dial plate and having aradial slit formed therein extending A mally overlapping one edge of theslot, and means for rotating said circular disc about the axis oi thedial face.

3. In an indicator for progressively indicating predetermined incrementsof time, a stationary dial plate having a. circular dial face thereon,there being a radial slot formed in said plate and extending from apoint in the medial regions ot the dial face and offset from the centerthereof to a point in the peripheral regions and within the extremeperiphery thereof, a circular indicating disc positioned behind saiddial plate and mounted for rotation about the axis of the dial face,said disc having e radial slit formed therein extending from a pointwithin the medial regions and offset from the center of the disc to theextreme periphery thereof, a leading edge oi said slit normallyoverlapping one edge of the slot, and means for progressively rotatingsaid dise in stephy-step fashion.

4. In an indicator for progressively indicating predetermined incrementsof time, a dial plete f having a circular dial face thereon. therelseing a circular hole extending through said plate and concentric withthe dial fece, there being a radial slot formed in said platecommunicating with the hole and extending to a point in the peripheralregions of the dial lince and within the extreme periphery of thelatter, a circular indicating disc positioned behind said dial plateconcentric with the dial lace, there being a radial slit formed in saiddisc and extending from a point adjacent the edge of said hole to theperiphery or the disc, a leading edge of said slit normalli,1overlapping one edge of said slot, and means for rotating said disc instep-by-step fashion about the axis of said dial face.

5. In an indicator for progressively indicating predetermined incrementsof time, s. dial plate having a circular dial face thereon, there beinga circular hole extending through said. plate and concentric with thedial face, there being a radial slot formed in said plate communicatingwith the hole and extending to a point in the peripheral regions of thedial face and within the extreme periphery of the latter, a circularindicating disc positioned behind said dial plate concentric with thedial face, there being a radial slit formed in said disc and extendingfrom a point .adjacent the edge of said hole to the periphery of thedisc, a leading edge of said slit normally overlapnlng one edge of saidslot, and means ior rotating said disc in step-by-step fashion about theanis of said dial face, the surface of said dial face lacing of onecolor, the area of said disc concentric with said hole being of acontrasting color, and the re mainder of said disc being ci a colorwhich con- WARD LEA IH IRS

